1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a call management method and apparatus for a mobile terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of integrated management for circuit switched (CS) calls and packet switched (PS) calls and a mobile terminal using the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent version of mobile terminals, such as smart phones, not only provide CS voice and PS data transmission/reception using 3rd Generation (3G) or 4th Generation (4G) such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or Long Term Evolution (LTE), but also provide IP (Internet Protocol) services based on WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) technologies such as Wi-Fi represented by IEEE 802.11. Therefore, mobile terminals can provide IP based call services such as 3G PS or WLAN using Voice over IP (VoIP) call applications installed therein as well as circuit switched (CS) based call services.
With related technologies expanded, the different types of call applications for connecting calls are becoming more and more varied. However, currently produced mobile terminals fail to have a module capable of collectively managing various call applications. Therefore, when there arises a conflict between packet switched (PS) calls requested through different call applications, one of them may be unexpectedly disconnected regardless of user's selection or different calls may be simultaneously progressing.
Meanwhile, most of recent mobile terminals such as smart phones may have multi-functionalities that not only offer traditional functions of mobile phones but also by providing various multimedia functions of an MP3 player, an MP4 (i.e., video) player, a voice recorder, and the like. In addition, many kinds of peripheral units may be used to control various functions.
However, there is a problem with some of these peripheral units because they often fail to recognize a call connection made through various call applications. For example, if a user clicks a play button of a multimedia player equipped in an earphone during a call connection, a music file is often played even though a user is still on the phone.
Unfortunately, when a certain call is received by the mobile terminal while another call has been already connected, the absence of any apparatus that allows an integrated management for information about various call applications may lead to no user control for such calls and also cause peripheral units to perform undesirable operation inconsistent with a call scenario.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an apparatus and method capable of sharing and managing information about calls connected through respective call applications in order to realize a favorable connection and control of calls through the various types of call applications.